


Knight in Shining Wedding Dress and her Secret Mage of Honour

by dentedsky



Category: Dissidia NT: Final Fantasy, Dissidia: Final Fantasy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Crack, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Lightisdays2k, M/M, Romance, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:58:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dentedsky/pseuds/dentedsky
Summary: The wedding between King Noctis and Knight Lightning is a complete disaster.Sequel to Once Upon a Time.





	Knight in Shining Wedding Dress and her Secret Mage of Honour

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 7: Weddings for Lightisdays2k week! I can't believe I made it to be honest lol!

 

Noctis dragged his mouth from Lightning’s nipple and down the soft skin to her belly button, before going lower, head disappearing beneath the blanket.  She sighed and relaxed against the pillows.

There was nothing like a late morning tumble to ease her stomach, which had been feeling queasy with nerves leading up to their wedding.  Noctis got that wonderful mouth between her legs –

The bedroom door burst open.  “RISE AND SHINE SLEEPY HEAD, FUTURE QUEEEEEN, BESTEST KNIGHT AND BESTEST FRIEND!” Rinoa screeched.  Her dog Angelo jumped on the bed and consequentially Noctis, huffing and puffing and salivating everywhere before licking Lightning all over her face.  Lightning gasped for breath.

“OHMIGAWWWWD,” said Rinoa, “I WOULD NOT HAVE BURST IN IF I KNEW the king’s tongue was in your slit.”  She added the last bit in a stage whisper just as Y’Shtola walked in. 

Y’Shtola frowned in disapproval as Noctis peeked over the edge of the blanket.  “You are not yet married,” she scolded; Noctis wilted under her sharp cat-like gaze.  “To despoil our future queen is to despoil the kingdom.”

Rinoa rolled her eyes.

Terra stumbled in, one hand covering her eyes while the other waved out in front of her to prevent any collisions. “Are they decent yet?” she squeaked.

“Yes,” said Rinoa.

Terra removed her hand, looked, then slapped both hands over her eyes again.  “Y-you lied!” she wailed, as Rinoa guffawed.  “I hate you so much!”

Lightning loved her friends, she really did.  Y’shtola was her next in command, sturdy and sure but a stickler for rules.  Rinoa had moved up the Kingsglaive ranks quite quickly in the last year, despite having joined because: “Originally I was gonna kidnap the king ‘cause he was pretty,” Rinoa had told Lightning at her second Kingsglaive interview, “but then I met you and decided to stay!”

Y’Shtola was requesting Noctis leave.  There was an awkward moment while everyone turned away so he could dress, before smacking a quick kiss on Lightning’s lips.  “I'll see you later,” he promised, voice low, giving her that smirk that always made her heart full.  Then he went through the door that joined their rooms.

When he was gone, Lightning got out of bed, unashamedly naked.  Terra turned away again, Rinoa openly leered, and Y’Shtola told Lightning, “Once you have broken your fast, Kuja has requested to meet with you regarding your wedding dress – “

“I thought he’d made the final touches a full moon ago,” said Lightning as she pulled her top over her head.

“It seems he’s made alterations,” said Y’Shtola.  Lightning frowned.  “Also, Shantotto has requested your presence in the church.”

“Fine,” said Lightning.  Rinoa helped her clip on her vambraces.  There was a pause, then Lightning asked Y’Shtola slowly, knowing the answer but dreading it anyway.  “Has Bartz…?”

“Arrived yet?  No.”

Lightning sat on the bed and watched Rinoa clip her shinguards.  Rinoa looked up through her dark fringe and gave her a kind smile.  “He wrote and said he’d be here a week before my wedding,” Lightning said quietly to no one in particular; they all knew.

“Maybe we should ask Cloud?” Terra suggested.

“And he will offer the same information as the day before,” said Y’Shtola dismissively, “that Bartz is journeying back from obtaining Our Majesties’ handgift.”

“What if he doesn’t make it?” said Lightning, not looking at them.  “Who will walk me down the aisle.”

“Oh! Oh!” Rinoa bounced, putting her hand in the air.  “Me, me!  I can do it!”

“I think that’s a great idea,” said a new voice.

Three women spun around as Lightning stood up from the bed.

There, next to the wardrobe, stood Bartz in a blue robe and a red coned hat.

Lightning stared at him; she hadn’t seen him in a _year._   “When did you get here?” she demanded.  “And how the fuck did you get into my room?”

He grinned.  “Good to see you too, Ugly.”

Then they were striding over to each other and hugging tightly, not letting go for a good half minute.  After a moment, Lightning gently pushed him away arms-length and looked him up and down.  “The hell are you wearing?”

“Time Mage job class,” he told her with a rueful twist of his mouth.  “I never used it while we had travelled together because I kind of hate it.  Too much wibbly-wobbly, sticky-globby, timey-wimey… stuff.  And all that looping?  SO annoying.”

Her brow creased with affection – she had forgotten how he would go off on a tangent sometimes.

“Listen,” he said quickly, imploring her with his eyes, “I haven’t got much mana left, so I have to go soon.  But I wanted to say congratulations on your nuptials, and also I’m really sorry I was late to your wedding.”

Lightning blinked.  “My wedding is tomorrow; you’re not late.”

He smack his forehead.  “Oh yeah.  I meant, I’m sorry I’ll be late to your wedding.  So I think you should let Rinoa walk you down the aisle, ‘cause I know we’ve been writing to each other every week, but we haven’t seen each other in a long time, and she really cares about you, and I’ll be your secret mage of honour instead, okay?  And I gotta go and I love you but only as a friend and good luck!”

He stepped away from her.

“Wait – “ she said.  “What - ?”

He blinked out of existence.

For a long silent moment all four women stood and stared at the spot he had occupied. 

“What the actual fuck?” shouted Lightning, eventually.

*

Lightning went with Terra to meet up with Kuja in Lightning’s bridal boudier.

She stared at her wedding dress draped over the wooden manikin.

“Where’s the rest of it?” said Lightning. 

“I have converted most parts to puff up the sleeves,” Kuja drawled proudly.  “It now reflects the fashion of my people.”

Lightning slanted him a glance, lips pressed together.  “Your people were a technologically advanced and immortal alien race; we are currently living in medieval times… if I wear this to my wedding to the King of Palamecia, I’ll be called the Seamstress Queen for the rest of my life.”

“Well that doesn’t sound so bad!” Terra piped up.

Lightning tilted her head in her direction.  “Seamstress is slang for whore, Terra.”

Terra also tilted her head, unimpressed.  “Yes I know that, Light.  There’s nothing wrong with a woman working with the assets she possesses.”

Lightning groaned and rubbed her eyes.  “I can’t wear what is essentially just my knickers and bra plus long puffy sleeves to my wedding!”

“ _Trust_ me,” said Kuja, “I am a _master_ of costume.”

“I’m not performing in a play,” Lightning argued.

Kuja looked her dead in the eye.  “You are the future queen: everything you say from now on are lines pre-written, everything you do will be an act and the whole world will be watching you like an avid audience.  Because you _are_ performing in a play – a play of royalty and a play of servitude.”

As with any conversation with Kuja, Lightning felt a trickle of fear drip itself down her spine.  She felt sick.

He looked at her with some pity.  “Today is your last real day of freedom.  Tomorrow you shall go out with a bang!”

Terra clapped her hands together.  “How exciting!”

*

Lightning quite liked the church.

She was in no way pious – she couldn’t give two shits about what Cosmos, Materia and Spiritus wanted from their mortal puppets – but she liked the ceiling mural which depicted the epic battles of old: the half-summon who held back the manikin horde… the reluctant warrior who fought Chaos alone and lost, but stood his ground… the warriors who sacrificed themselves to the Rift so their friends could battle another day… and of course her favourite: allies and enemies alike joining forces to defeat Shinryu the Planesgorger.  Majestic battles, strength of will, friendship… these were the stories she liked.

But when she walked into the church the day before her wedding, the smell of wet roses hit her so hard she almost vomited in the doorway.  For the church was full to the brim with flowers: all over the floor, the pews, the dais and tied around the pillars.

Nauseous, she stepped through the ankle deep sea of wild roses and met with Shantotto, Firion and Tidus.

“Allow yourselves to quake in fear,” Shantotto told Firion and Tidus with a smirk, “for your hardened future queen is here.”

“I still don’t see what the problem is?” said Tidus, gesturing around the church.  “I think Rosebud did an awesome job decorating!”

“Much appreciated, Tidus,” said Firion, blushing a little.

Lightning covered her nose.  Her nausea was really getting to her, now.  She pointed to the humungous object in the corner that looked like a cream-covered water fountain.  “What the hell is that?”

“It’s your wedding cake!” Tidus told her with a grin.  “Ta-daaaaa!”

“How did you even get it in here?”

Tidus’s eyes widened with passion as he explained, “I baked it layer by layer, and brought in each layer, then did the icing and decorating within the church.”

“No pauper nor plebeian and certainly no king,” said Shantotto, “would ever eat so garish a thing.”

“That is a shame,” said Firion with his usual serious demeanour, “because it has the appearance of ambrosial delight.”

“Aw,” said Tidus, “thanks babe!”

Lightning said, “You do realise the wedding cake is supposed to go in the ballroom, where the reception will be held, right?”

Tidus deflated.  “Oh shit.”

Firion, who could never stand to see Tidus sad, said, “Do not worry yourself, for when we get married, we can have our wedding cake in any room we see fit.”

“And we can have TWICE as many flowers!” Tidus agreed.  Then his grin dropped to a smirk as he gave Firion a sly look.  “….’When we get married’...? Have you been thinking about us marrying each other?”

Firion nervously tapped this hilt of the Bloodsword strapped to his hip.  “Well I… of course I have Tidus.” His face was red, but he stood tall with resolve.  “It has been five full moons since King Noctis decreed marriage equality, and I feel that since we have been tumbling one another for more than a year now – “

“I DO!!” Tidus shouted at him.  Firion blinked.

Lightning strode over to an urn and vomited into it.

Shantotto floated over to her as she heaved.  “Time for you to govern that bun in your oven,” she said quietly.  “Take this age-old knowledge from me: eat only plain bread and imbibe ginger tea.”

Lightning’s grip on the rim of the urn shook.  Behind them, Firion and Tidus were asking if she was alright, but she ignored them, staring at Shantotto instead.  “What are you on about?  I’m not prehh…” she trailed off.

Oh.

Oh, _fuck._

*

“I always thought morning sickness was supposed to happen in the morning,” Lightning told Terra, “but it’s like it starts out mild in the morning and then gets worse as the day goes on.”

They were sitting together at the long bar section of Seventh Heaven: a public house Tifa was letting them hire out for Lightning’s hen’s night.  No one had arrived yet except for Golbez and Jecht who were serving as shirtless barmen for the evening.  How Tifa had pulled that off, Lightning had no idea, but she had great respect for her skills in persuasion.

 “How long have you been feeling sick?” said Terra.

“A week,” Lightning told her.  At Terra’s long, disbelieving look, Lightning rolled her eyes at herself.  “Yeah I know, I’m an idiot for not even suspecting.  But how was I supposed to know?  They don’t teach you this stuff in the knighthood.  I thought I was just nervous about getting married or some shit.”  She dropped her head down until her forehead was on the bar and groaned.

“Queen Rosa is pregnant too you know,” Terra said.  “Maybe you should write to her and get some advice.”  When Lightning only grunted, Terra said quietly, “If you’re too sick to attend tonight – “

“No,” said Lightning, “being alone with my vomit is the last thing I need.  I need my friends around me – my girls, my glaives - even if they can’t know yet.”

Golbez and Jecht were on the other end of the bar chatting.  Terra whistled and gestured them to come over.  Lightning took a peak through her pink fringe as they came over, pectorals and six packs glistening in the candlelight.  Terra leant both arms on the bar, leaning forward.  “Listen good fellows,” she said to them, “this is going to be our little secret, but your future queen is feeling under the weather, so we can’t let her have any alcohol tonight.”

“ _No_ alcohol?” said Jecht in disbelief.

Terra shook her head.

“You’re damn lucky I was an alcoholic who knew how to hide shit from my ex-wife,” he said gruffly, before pulling out an expensive bottle of rum along with two tankards.  He poured the entire contents of the bottle into the tankards, then pulled out another bottle, brandished it and said, “Apple juice,” then poured the apple juice into the rum bottle.  He shook it in Lightning’s direction to get her attention.  “All your drinks will be poured from this bottle.”

“Thanks,” said Lightning.

Golbez and Jecht picked up the tankards and clanked them together.  “I am obliged,” said Golbez before they both drank.

Not long after the bard and his band had arrived and set up, women started filtering in, most of them kingsglaives under Lightning’s command.  Tifa and Aerith soon arrived with a blonde girl in a purple dress finished with a pink sash. 

“Light,” said Tifa with a giggle that seemed to involuntarily burst out of her, “I want you to meet our friend, Miss Cloud.”

Lightning looked ‘Miss’ Cloud up and down.

“Hey,” said Miss Cloud in his normal voice, expression deadpan.  Behind him, Aerith was cackling.

“Hey,” said Lightning.  “You know if you wanted to come to my hen’s night you could have just come as yourself.”

“I _am_ myself tonight,” he told her.  “And now I’m going to get a drink.”  He dragged Tifa and Aerith with him to the bar.

For the second time that day, the door burst open with a bang.  “HEYA BITCHES, THE PARTY HAS ARRIVED!” Rinoa announced.  She flicked her dark hair over one shoulder as she strode into the room, Y’Shtola and Yuna not far behind her.  “GET THE GOOD LIQUER OUT AND LET’S GET WASTED I DON’T WANT ANY OF THAT COOKING WINE SHIT!”

*

The party got into full swing pretty quickly after that.  The band was playing many good jigs that had everyone dancing, and Golbez and Jecht were keeping everyone’s drinks topped up.

Feeling nauseous from the stuffy air, Lightning took her ivory cup of pretend rum and went out onto the back balcony.  The night was still and the air was fresh.  She leaned against the ledge and took deep breaths.

Then out from the darkness below, just like a dream, Noctis came.  He looked up at her and smiled ruefully.

She peered into the darkness.  “Noctis?” she called softly in disbelief.

“That’s me,” he sing-songed, before throwing a knife to the wall above her and warping to it.

He dropped to the platform, strode over, cupped her head gently then kissed her.  When he pulled away his mouth was glistening as he said, “I love you so fucking much.”

She smiled.  “Me too.”

They both turned their heads toward the closed door when loud cheering and “Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!” then “Wooooooooooo!” could be heard through it.

“Sounds like your hen’s night is in full swing,” Noctis laughed.

“Yeah,” said Lightning.  Then she cocked an eyebrow at him.  “Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?”

Noctis looked guilty, rubbing the back of his head.  “Yeah but, technically we’re already married.”

 _That_ made her eyebrows shoot up.  “Excuse me?”

“I’m from the future,” he told her with a twist of his mouth.  He studied her.  “Not that far in the future though; just about a week.”

“Oh, how strange.”  She paused.  “Checking up on me?  Making sure I’m behaving myself?”

“No, no! Not that!” He looked panicked before finally catching her smirk.  “Okay well… not really. But sort of maybe.”

She crossed her arms and waited.  This ought to be good.

He seemed to steel himself, and then said, “I would never ask you to do anything you didn’t want to do.  That’s a promise.  And this is your hen’s night and I want you to have fun with your friends, like, sooooo much fun you almost die of fun.  I mean, I know for a fact that present Noctis – _your_ Noctis – is having a ball right now with his stupid friends, even though he won’t remember much of it the next day.  But…”

She gave him a kind, patient look, because despite his rambling disclaimer, she did honestly trust him, had always trusted him, even on the dark days when he seemed to think he didn’t deserve it.

“But I,” he continued slowly, “would please ask you to not drink any alcohol tonight, and not ask me why.”

Not realising she had been tense, Lightning relaxed her whole body and uncrossed her arms.  “God, is _that_ all?”

He stared at her with wide eyes.  “I thought you would be mad.”

She picked up her cup from the balcony ledge and jiggled it at him, spilling a little over the sides.  “Apple juice.  Been drinking it all night.  So don’t worry, okay?”

His incredible blue eyes went impossibly wider, then narrowed, then went wide again as he looked to the side, as if realising something.  Then he looked at her again and said, “You know.”

Now it was her turn to narrow her eyes.  “Know what?”

“You know… about….” He gestured at her stomach.  Lightning tensed.  “You know… _knew_ … even before our wedding?” He looked sad, suddenly.  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Lightning reached for his hand and held it, rubbing the back of his knuckles.  “I only found out today.  And there was so much going on, so many things going wrong… our friends…”  She searched his eyes.  “I don’t know why future me doesn’t tell you about it.  But today was a pretty bad day for me, and truth be told I’m a little overwhelmed.”

He smiled, a little.  “I’ve never not seen you composed before.  Well, except for maybe when I’m between your legs.”

She swatted him.

He laughed, then took her other hand.  “Listen.  A wise person once told me that you and I are not perfect, but that our friends bring us pretty close to perfection.”

“Sounds like something an idiot would say.”

He smirked, amused.  “What I mean is, our wedding doesn’t need to be perfect.  What matters is we’re good to each other.  We’re a team.”

Lightning leaned forward to kiss him again, but then she heard thumping footsteps beyond the door and a “Where the fuck is our queen?!”

Noctis hid in the shadows as Rinoa came out.  “Oh my Cosmos you’re HERE? In the COLD like a MORON?  Get in here!”  She grabbed Lightning’s arm and dragged her through the door.

Noctis smirked at her as she went, before fading away.

 

*

Noctis rolled over and curled into the warm body next to him.  Eyes closed to the morning light flowing through the small window, he lightly touched Lightning’s belly, hand lazily making its way lower -

The other male occupant of the bed sighed.  “Everyone wants my body, it's so tiresome.”  Cecil pulled the blankets away and gave Noctis a pitying look.  “I am eternally flattered, Noct, but I do not deviate that way.”

Noctis jumped out of the bed in fright, then wished he hadn’t as the world spun.  Then he jumped again when he saw there was someone else in the room, standing squashed in the corner.  “What are doing there!” Noctis spluttered.

“My apologies,” said the Warrior of Light (Wol for short) from his shadowy corner. “As an artificial intelligence I have no need for sleep. The lounge room was occupied, and Firion and Tidus were having sexual intercourse in the other bedroom so I had nowhere else to go.”

Noctis relaxed.  “It's fine, just a little creepy.  Did you watch us sleep the whole night?”

Wol frowned.  “Is that a problem?”

Noctis’s brow creased. He liked the Warrior of Light a lot, and enjoyed the fact that he was older than Noctis, which was rare since Noctis was technically over two thousand years old.  He was a knowledgeable and sturdy companion, but he often did not understand basic social etiquette.

“My queen is pregnant,” Cecil said conversationally, which he told everyone everyday.  He got out of bed with a gracefulness Noctis barely possessed even when he _wasn’t_ hung over.   “I too hope one day your queen will give you many children, Noct.”

Noctis scratched his head.  “Um, thanks.”

“Lightning certainly seems of decent child bearing stock,” Wol commented.  “Good, strong legs.”

“She possess a powerful force of will,” Cecil agreed, “that's important. Do you have any children, Wol?”

“A few,” he answered.  “We manikins are asexual and breed depending on the power leaking from the Void.  I have, oh, about three thousand, five hundred and seventy-four children now.”

“Oh my, you have quite the virility,” said Cecil.  “Seems I have some catching up to do.”

Noctis went over to the basin and splashed his face with water.  There was a headache brewing behind his eyes.  “I barely remember anything from last night,” he confessed to his friends.

“Many alcoholic beverages were indeed consumed,” agreed Wol.

Noctis opened the door and left the bedroom, only to end up in a lounge area he didn't recognise.  Squall was sleeping on the couch, snoring softly.

“Where the hell am I?” Noctis murmured to himself.

“You are on my ship,” crooned a voice from above him.

Noctis looked up; Kuja was languishing on the chandelier, tail swishing, while next to him Zidane stayed asleep with his mouth open.  A long line of drool escaped Zidane’s mouth, then broke and splattered onto Squall’s cheek below.  Squall grunted and blinked awake.

“We’re on a ship?” said Noctis stupidly, the fact not quite computing.  He walked over to the other bedroom door and went to open it –

“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” Kuja warned.

Noctis opened the door, saw Tidus’s bare legs in the air and Firion’s ass, and slammed the door shut again.

“I loathe clichés,” Kuja drawled, “but I will make an exception just this once: I told you so.”

“I...” and then Noctis’s brain died.

Squall sat up on the couch and wiped his cheek.  “What's for breakfast?”

“Did you say ‘ship’?” Noctis asked Kuja finally, and without waiting for an answer he went through the door to the outside deck and was hit with fresh, sea salt air.

They were indeed on a ship and they were in the middle of the damn ocean, no land in sight.

“Fuck,” whispered Noctis.

“Been there done that!” said Tidus, sticking his head out.  He breathed in deeply.  “Good day for a wedding!”

Noctis liked Tidus; he was originally from Dream Zanarkand and as such was the only other person aside from himself and who knew what smart phones and TVs were, and who understood ‘You know nothing, Jon Snow’ reference jokes.

Panicked, Noctis looked up at the sky and the position of the sun, but without knowing his east from his west couldn’t tell if it was morning or afternoon.

“Tidus, what time is it?”

“I dunno, watches haven’t been invented yet.”

“It’s one candle notch after midday, Your Majesty!” said a new voice.

Noctis spun around, grinning.  “Bartz!”

Bartz put his fists on his hips, cape flapping in the wind.  “The one and only!  Whoops, actually there’s two of us in the world presently.”

Noctis blinked at him.

“So has the party started?” said Bartz, looking at Noctis and then Tidus.  “Did I make it on time?”

“Bartz, my bachelor party was yesterday,” said Noctis.  He gave him a pleading look.  “Today’s the wedding, and we’re lost – “

“I missed the party?” Bartz whined.

“Yes, but that’s not important now,” Noctis said quickly.  “I need your help else I’m going to be late to my own wedding!”

“Oh yeah!  You were late to your own wedding.”

“I…” as often would happen, Bartz made Noctis speechless.  “ _What?_ ”

“Oh sorry, I meant _you are going to be_ late your wedding.  Ugh.” He rubbed his eyes.  “I HATE time travel!  It’s so confusing and makes me dizzy.”

“Okay…” said Noctis, trying to get his head around it.  “So can we make it so I’m _not_ late?”

“Nope!” said Bartz with a grin.  “Time loops are loopy.  Once a future has happened, it can’t un-happen.  But don’t worry!  I turned up even later than you and Light wasn’t even that mad at either of us so it’ll be fine!  And don’t worry, I’ve totally got this!”  He clapped his hands together and went inside, Tidus and Noctis exchanging glances then following after him.

“Tidus,” said Bartz, “you, Firion, Cecil and Wol need to start making breakfast for everyone.  We can’t get our king to his wedding on an empty – AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Bartz screamed like a girl when he ran into Squall.

Squall glared at him.

“What are you doing here?” Bartz demanded.

“I was invited,” Squall drawled with a scowl, “and unlike you, I actually bothered to show up on time.”

“Well that’s because right now I’m flying on a wyvern from the edge of the world with Noctis’s wedding gift.  And did you know I have a boyfriend now?  I have a boyfriend now, and he’s way prettier than you!”

Squall’s cheeks were red with anger.  “Congratu-fucking-lations, I don’t give a shit.”

“You’re such a liar,” said Bartz, lower lip quivering.  “Why are you always LYING.”

“Bartz,” Noctis interrupted.  “I need you to concentrate – “

Bartz turned on him. “Why’d you invite my bi-slut ex for?!”

“Oh for – I didn’t know he was your ex!”

Bartz glared at Squall.  “Go to the kitchen and help the others, the future demands it!”

Squall rolled his eyes and muttered, “Whatever, go talk to a wall.”

Zidane jumped from the chandelier and gave Bartz a hug.  “Yo, I missed you!”

“Bud,” said Bartz, “I missed you more! But oh, we have to help Noctis get to his wedding!  So can you and Kuja open the sails, get the compass out and navigate?”  Then he grabbed Noctis and pulled him along.  “We need to get as high on this ship as we can!”

*

On the starboard, Bartz changed to Geomancer job class.  “Let the wind come forth,” he intoned, and with a wave of his arms, a gale blew.  So dense was the magic that the light hit the waves of air, sparkling and glittering in waves, over Noctis, Bartz, Zidane and Kuja, and through the sails.

Zidane steered the ship around and headed east, back towards the city.

The ship was now at full speed.  Noctis held fast to the rails.  “Thank you, Bartz!” he said, grinning.  He had to shout over the whoosh of the wind and the gushing of waves.  “I can’t miss my wedding to Lightning… I just – she’s _everything_ to me!”

“I’m glad to hear it!” said Bartz, grinning back.  “You guys may be king and queen, but more importantly, you’re my best friends, and you need to take care of her, okay?  She’s always trying to be the hero, even though she may deny it… but you’ve gotta be a hero for _her_ too, you know?  Even if you have to pretend you’re not.”

“I know,” Noctis told him seriously.  “I mean, I will!  She’s my knight in shining armour, but if she’s my knight, who will be hers?”

“You, that’s who!”

“Me!  Exactly!  She’s the one, Bartz.” Noctis gave him an intense look.  “I would do _anything_ for her!”

Bartz stared at him a moment.  “Woooooow,” he said eventually.  “What a stud!  I would totes have a crush on you if you didn’t look so basic.  Listen!  I don’t have a lot of mana left, and I think I want to travel back twenty-four hours and tell Lightning congratulations.”

“I think that’s a great idea!” Noctis told him.  “She’s been waiting for you for a week.”

“Aw crap, really?  Okay well – “ Bartz switched back to Time Mage job class.  “Present me will see you soon, okay!  Good luck!” With a wave of his staff, he was gone.

“Land-hoooooo!” Zidane shouted from the front of the ship.

“What did you call me?!” Kuja shouted back.

They managed to get to port, but they were still several busy streets away from the church.

“The first wedding church bells haven’t rung yet,” said Tidus as he effortlessly jumped from the ship to the pier, “we’ve still got time!”

Noctis looked around at the buildings, the busy port and the bustling streets beyond.  “I’m going to have to warp-strike the whole way.”

“Do it,” said Tidus, “I won’t be far behind since I’m the fastest.”

“Tidus’ agility is certainly something to be admired,” Firion agreed.  “The rest of us will follow.”

Noctis and Tidus dashed up the first wall, then Noctis warp-striked to the top of every building as Tidus leapt.  Behind and below, Wol, Cecil and Kuja conjured shields and balls of light, temporarily blinding the general populace and making them stop and shy away, thereby making a path for themselves.  “Apologies everyone,” Firion announced, “but the royal wedding is soon to commence and we mustn’t be late!”

The warriors ran through the streets, most people stepping back for them.  Kuja gracefully flew.  Zidane caught up to Tidus and they hopped across roofs in tandem.

Noctis warp-striked one more time.  He hung from his dagger over the church’s back entrance.

The back door slammed open and Cloud came out, then looked up at Noctis.  “You’re late, Your Majesty.” Noctis jumped down and Cloud went over and adjusted Noctis’s clothes.  “You look like shit,” Cloud told him.  “Where is everyone?”

Noctis didn’t need to answer as from inside the church, Ace, the doorman they’d hired, drawled, “Announcing Guardian Tidus and Zidane, Treasure Hunter.”

“How DARE you call me a treasure hunter,” Noctis heard Zidane say, “I’m a goddam thief!”

“This is how many fucks I give,” Ace drawled.  “Announcing King Cecil of Baron, the original Warrior of Light of prophecy, Lord Kuja Angel of Death, Commander Firion of the Rebel Army…”

“This wedding is nowhere near as nice as mine was,” Cecil stage-whispered to Wol as they went to their seats.

Noctis and Cloud took position at the dais, Cloud standing at the side as Noctis’s best man.  As soon as everyone was seated, music started to play and Terra came down the aisle, throwing flowers over a floor already covered in them.

Noctis’s breathing was rapid as he recovered from the journey here.  But he was also very nervous.  And then Lightning came, and started her way down the aisle, Rinoa on one arm and Y’Shtola holding the trailing skirt of her wedding dress behind her.  The wedding song was played on a harp.

And god, did Lightning look beautiful.

Her hair was up, and her dress seemed to wrap around her in strips, covering only her breasts and lower-half, leaving her belly and legs bare.  Sheer fabric fell over her shoulders and arms.  When she made it to the dais they faced one another. 

Shantotto was marrying them, and asked for their vows.

“I’ve always been a crown prince or a king,” Noctis told her softly.  “I was groomed for it my whole life.  But I would give it all up, give up being royalty, if it meant I could keep you forever.”

“I would never make you give up your throne,” Lightning vowed, looking concerned.  “Never.  I’m your partner in all things, this I swear.”

They exchanged rings and repeated the vows Shantotto gave them -

The church doors slammed opened.

Bartz stood there, huffing and puffing with a wriggling puppy under one arm.  “DID I MISS IT?” he shouted.  “Did I miss the wedding??”

Everyone just stared.

Then Rinoa’s dog Angelo started barking.  “Angelo, no!” Rinoa shouted, but it was too late: the puppy under Bartz’s arm wriggled out and Angelo chased it all over the room, before it jumped and flew at the giant cake, knocking it.  It wobbled precariously.

“Everybody, out of the way!” shouted Cecil, and everyone in the cake’s vicinity got out of their seats and scrambled away, except for Tidus who ran towards it crying, “My cake!”

“Tidus!” Firion shouted after him, grabbing him –

The giant cake fell on both of them.  They were buried under cream, icing, jam, and delicious sponge.

For a moment there was silence.  Then two heads popped out of the destroyed cake.

“Tidus,” shouted Firion, “are you harmed?”

Tidus blinked at him.  “You’ve got cream all over your face, it’s pretty hot.”

“I pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride,” said Shantotto, sounding exasperated.  “I did not mean you two,” she snapped at Firion and Tidus, “do you have no pride?”

Lightning and Noctis looked at each other and smiled a little in amusement.  Then Lightning caught Noctis in her embrace, dipped him, and kissed him deeply.

Everybody cheered.

After the ceremony, Lightning threw her bouquet.

Cloud caught it.

*

Despite the lack of wedding cake, the reception dinner was a smorgasbord of delicious food.  Once most of it had been eaten, Lightning stood from her seat and made a speech:

“I want to thank everyone for coming,” she said.  “And I want to thank everyone for helping us make our dream wedding come true.  Tomorrow I will be coronated and I… want to be the best queen I can be, for everyone.” She took a deep breath and smiled down at Noctis, who was sitting next to her, before continuing: “A wise person once told me that Noctis and I are not perfect, but that our friends bring us pretty close to perfection.  Rinoa, Terra, and Y’Shtola, who gave me support and organised my hen’s night; Kuja, who made my wedding dress unique and special… Firion, who grew and picked many flowers to decorate the church… Tidus, who baked us a huge wedding cake… and Bartz, who travelled to the end of the world to get us a puppy.”

Bartz stood from his own chair.  “Hang on a sec Light, you _do_ know who that puppy is, right?”

Lightning looked back at him in confusion.

Noctis picked up the puppy from where it was sleeping by his feet under the table.  He stared into its eyes.  “Wait…” said Noctis.  “Umbra…?”

“Yeah no duh it’s Umbra,” said Bartz with a roll of his eyes.  “I didn’t just get you _a_ puppy from the end of the world, I got you the puppy reincarnation of the God of Time!  Yeesh!”

Noctis stood from his seat, Umbra a ball of soft fur in his arms.  “Thank you, Bartz,” he said honestly, looking like he might cry.  “Thank you… I don’t know how to say…”

“Don’t say anything,” said Bartz with a smirk, “just be good to each other, okay?”

“That’s a promise,” said Noctis.

*

Noctis and Lightning had their slow dance on the dance floor.  They pressed their foreheads together and committed to memory the perfect moment.

Then, by Noctis’s secret request, Shantotto and the band started an upbeat song:

“ _Love!_

“ _The kind you clean up with a mop and bucket_

“ _Like the lost catacombs of Insomnia_

“ _Only Cosmos knows where we stuck it_ …”

Rinoa dragged Squall onto the dancefloor.  Kuja and Terra came too, far more gracefully.  Everyone else followed suit, Tidus gyrating on Firion while Firion stood there, not quite knowing where to put his hands, and Cloud and Bartz danced together, clearly having missed each other over the weeks apart, Bartz stealing a kiss here and there.  Y’Shtola accepted a dance from the young onion knight, only for Rinoa to hiss at them when she and Squall bumped into them and pretty much everyone else.

Noctis slipped his hand down to Lightning’s ass.  They shared knowing smirks: next stop, honeymoon.

End.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading this if you made it to the end pffffft. Nah I had a lot of fun writing this; when I saw "Day 7 - Weddings" on the lightisdays2k list I made a thinking face and thought, What would happen if lightis got married and all their friends from Dissidia 012 and NT showed up and were their usual messy selves? And because I'd been watching 12 Monkeys some time travel got all up in there by accident.
> 
> Song at the end is "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang.
> 
> Heyyy also I'm always up for playing Dissidia NT with peeps so if you wanna duo one day or whatever hit me up, I'm dentedsky on tumblr.


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